Tom Mix, the famous Hollywood silent movie cowboy of the 1920’s has a romantic connection to North Dakota. If fact if it wasn’t for the town of Medora, in Western North Dakota, Tom wouldn’t have married the woman he did!

The story begins in 1904, in St. Louis, Missouri. A young lady by the name of Olive Stokes met a friend of her deceased father, the soon-to-be famous Will Rogers. While there, Mr. Rogers introduced her to a friend of his by the name of Tom Mix. After visiting, Olive and Tom parted company.

Four years later, in 1908, Olive was in Medora, North Dakota, selecting some horses to buy and bring back to her ranch in Oklahoma. She sent for her ranch overseer, Luk Bells to come to North Dakota to see the horses.

As Luk was preparing to head to North Dakota from Oklahoma, Tom Mix appeared at the ranch looking for Olive. He invited Tom to accompany him to North Dakota, and Tom accepted.
During their time in Medora, Tom scarcely left Olive’s side. They spent the entire Christmas season together there, enjoying the scenery and especially each other’s company.

Olive was scheduled to leave Medora on January 20. At the big farewell dance at the home of the Nichols, Tom proposed marriage to Olive. It just so happened that Nels Nichols, with whom she was staying, was a Justice of the Peace. The two were married that evening.

Tom Mix’s film career started in 1911, much in the mold of Buffalo Bill. He went on to become an American film idol. With the advent of talking pictures, Tom’s days as a Western film idol ended.

Tom continued in the entertainment industry with his own Wild West Show, putting together one of the biggest truck circuses in America. His marriage to Olive remained a constant source of strength to Tom.

On this date in 1940, Tom Mix was killed in an untimely automobile accident. His life however, certainly would not have been the same, if it weren’t for that eventful Christmas holiday in 1908 that he spent in Medora, North Dakota.

50 Years in the Saddle Book Committee, “50 Years in the Saddle; Looking Back Down the Trail, Volume 4” , Tom Nix and Olive Stokes, part of a story taken from Persimmon Hill Cowboy Hall of Fame, Quality Quick Print, Dickinson, North Dakota and Image Printing, Bismarck, North Dakota, 1991. pg. 204-206.

by Dave Seifert

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